ee that the only thing
for men and women whom God has made is to obey Him? How can we prosper
by doing anything else? It is ill fighting against God. But some one
may say, "I know I have sinned, and I do wish and long to obey God, but I
am so weak, and my sins have so entangled me, that I cannot obey God. I
long to do so. I feel and know, when I look back, that all my sin and
shame and unhappiness come from being proud and self-willed and
determined to have my own way. But I _cannot_ mend."

Do not despair, poor soul! I had a thousand times sooner hear you say
that you cannot mend than that you can. For those who really feel they
cannot mend--those who are really weary and worn out with the burden of
their sins--those who are tired out with their own wilfulness, and feel
ready to lie down and die, like a spent horse, and say, "God take me
away, no matter to what place; I am not fit to live here on earth, a
shame and a torment to myself day and night"--those who are in that state
of mind are very near--very near--finding out glorious news.

God knows as well as you what you have to struggle against; ay, a
thousand times better. He knows--What does He not know? Therefore pray
to Him. Cry to Him to make your will like His own will, that you may
love what He loves, hate what He hates, and do what He wishes you to do;
and you will surely find it come true that those who try to mend, and yet
know that they cannot mend themselves, God will mend them.

_National Sermons_.

Sin, [Greek text], is literally, as it signifies, the missing of a mark;
and that each miss brings a penalty, or rather is itself the penalty, is
to me the best of news, and gives me hope for myself and for every human
being, past, present, and future, for it makes me look on them all as
children under a paternal education, who are being taught to become aware
of, and use their own powers in God's house, the universe, and for God's
work in it; and in proportion as they learn to do that, they attain
salvation, [Greek text], literally _health_ and _wholeness_ of spirit,
which is, like the health of the body, its own reward.

_Letters and Memories_.

If in sorrow the thought strikes you that you are punished for your sins,
mourn for them, but not for the happiness they have prevented. Rather
thank God that He has stopped you in time, and remember His promises of
restoring us if we profit by His chastisement.

_Letters and Memories_.

Ah! how